Abundance estimates of the Indo-Pacific lionfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pterois volitans</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">miles</Emphasis> complex in the Western North Atlantic |
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Authors: | Paula E Whitfield Jonathan A Hare Andrew W David Stacey L Harter Roldan C Muñoz Christine M Addison |
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Institution: | (1) NOAA Beaufort Laboratory, 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA;(2) Present address: NOAA NMFS NEFSC, Narragansett Laboratory, 28 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA;(3) NOAA NMFS SEFSC, Panama City Laboratory, 3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, Fl 32408, USA |
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Abstract: | Less than a decade after being observed off Florida, the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish is now widely distributed off the
southeast coast of the United States. As a step towards measuring invasion impacts to native communities, we examine the magnitude
and extent of this invasion by first, compiling reports of lionfish to provide range information and second, estimate lionfish
abundance from two separate studies. We also estimate native grouper (epinepheline serranids) abundance to better assess and
compare lionfish abundances. In the first study we conducted SCUBA diver visual transect surveys at 17 different locations
off the North Carolina coast in water depths of 35–50 m. In the second study, we conducted 27 Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)
transect surveys at five locations from Florida to North Carolina in water depths of 50–100 m. In both studies, lionfish were
found to be second in abundance only to scamp (Mycteroperca phenax). Lionfish were found in higher abundance in the shallower North Carolina SCUBA surveys ( ha−1) than in the deep water ROV surveys ( ha−1). Lionfish reports continue to expand most recently into the Bahamas, raising the specter of further spread into the Caribbean
and Gulf of Mexico. The potential impacts of lionfish to native communities are likely to be through direct predation, competition
and overcrowding. The high number of lionfish present in the ecosystem increases the potential for cascading impacts throughout
the food chain. Within the southeast region the combined effects of climate change, overfishing and invasive species may have
irreversible consequences to native communities in this region.
An erratum to this article can be found at |
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Keywords: | Lionfish Invasive marine fish Serranidae Pterois Invasion impact Abundance Introduced species |
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